Latvia select first five finalists

A total of ten acts competed tonight, with five places in the final up for grabs. The line up of tonights show was as follows (Qualifiers in Bold):-

Atis Ievins - Dancer

Nikolajs Puzikovs - Milestibas Nevar But Par Daudz

Maia - No Limits To Dream

Samanta Tina & Davids Kalandija - I Want You Back

Angelina & Alisa May - Rollin' Up

Laura Bicane & Romans Sladzis - Freakin' Out

Paula Dukure - Celebration

Andris Abelite - We Can Change The World

Ruta Duduma - My World

Grupa 'PeR' - Disco Superfly

The second semi final of Eirodziesma 2012 will take place next Saturday 14th January, and the format will be the same as this evening, ten songs competing with five qualifying for the final which is scheduled to take place in Ventspils on February 18th.

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Successful short Eurovision history

Latvia made their Eurovision Song Contest debut only in 2000, when Brainstorm took third place in the Final in Stockholm with My Star. Only two years later, Marie N gave Latvia victory in Europe's Favourite TV Show in Tallinn when she romped home with I Wanna.

In recent years, Latvia has not enjoyed the same level of success as in the early 2000's, having last qualified for the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 in Belgrade with Pirates Of The Sea. Latvian broadcaster LTV are hoping for a change of fortunes with their selection process for Baku.